I'm Onee-Chan
by KAGEJASPER
Summary: Yui Hirasawa lives a peaceful and happy life. She wouldn't change a single thing, no matter how many skeletons lurk in her closet. However, when those very secrets start forcing themselves into the present and threatening the safety of her loved ones...she will dawn the mask of her past life. She was Crimson Flash. She is Crimson Flash. And this is her return. OOC-ness/Rated M.
1. Instincts Reawakened

**Author's Note:** A story idea that has literally plagued my mind for years. Yeah, that long, lol! Yui Hirasawa is my second favorite anime character of all-time (a close call with Setsuna Sakurazaki from _Negima_ as first place) and I'd love to explore her character underneath a microscope while being bombarded with the obstacles and pressures this story will put her through. She is far more complex than what people give her credit for, so I am determined to shed some light on that, all while satisfying my YuiAzu craving lol!

Now, I must say this now-I've rated this story M for a reason. There will be violence, heavy language, and sexual content. If that's a no-go for you...well, you should read the ratings before waltzing in, dude.

If you are chill with that, then awesomesauce!

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy. And, as my signature salute to you all,

-Stay gucci

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _K-On!_ or any of its characters.

* * *

Sunlight beamed lazily through the flimsy curtains, enshrouding half of the room in dull illumination. Articles of clothing, mostly consisting of a school uniform, were scattered across the carpet floor haphazardly. Located on one side of the room was a twin sized bed with a bulge resting peacefully underneath the sheets. Nothing could be seen of the snoozing lump except for a turf of deep brunette hair peaking atop the pillow and an arm dangling off the side.

Unfortunately, the tranquil morning was shattered by a persistent ringing. The alarm clock rattled vigorously against the bedside dresser's wooden surface and, after a few minutes of this, the bulge beneath the covers began to stir with small groans of protest. Life returned to the dangling arm as it blindly slapped against the dresser, missing the alarm clock several times before finally whacking it silent.

With the troublesome noise vanquished, the bulge curled up in bed once more and allowed grogginess to settle back in. The lump could feel the borderline state of intermediate conscious approaching, evidence that blissful slumber lurked around the corner. A content sigh escaped the tired lump before it snuggled further into the addictive warmth—

The door suddenly swung open to reveal a young teenage girl fully dressed in school uniform and prepared to face another day.

"Onee-Chan! It's Friday and time to get up. You have to get ready for school."

Releasing an incoherent mumble of discontent, the bulge simply shifted around in response. "Five more minutes, Ui…"

Ui sighed in exasperation before smiling endearingly at her older sister's antics. She had expected the lazy reaction anyways. She walked up to the bed and gently shook Yui's motionless form. "Onee-Chan? If you don't wake up now, you'll be late."

Feeling her stubbornness decay from listening to Ui's patient tone, Yui finally conceded and shot up like a bullet, her hands splayed on her lap. A comically determined yet sleepy expression graced her face. "I'm up!" she chimed groggily.

Ui, who was undoubtedly surprised by the swift movement, smiled at Yui's wild bed hair and unfocused gaze. Everything about her sister's appearance spoke otherwise, but she appreciated the enthusiasm. "Are you sure, Onee-Chan?"

"Y…yeah…" Yui slurred as she teetered from side to side. Just as she began to fall backwards, Ui clumsily caught her by the shoulders and examined her sister in worry...

She had fallen back asleep.

Ui rolled her eyes playfully until they snagged onto the digital clock. If she didn't wake up Yui soon, then both girls would be late for sure. However, tardiness was the last thing on Ui's mind since she always had a trump card for situations such as this. She stared knowingly at her sister's half-comatose state before stating calmly, "Onee-Chan, I already made breakfast. You don't want your food to get cold, do you?"

There was a decisive moment of silence before a bubbly, distracted smile stretched Yui's cheeks. With a will gifted by the glutton gods, she gradually straightened her posture. Judging by the excitable shine in those coffee brown eyes, Ui had effectively awoken her sister.

"Now I'm up!" Yui pulled back the blankets and swung her legs over the side of her bed. As the ditzy teen ran out of her room and down the halls to freshen up, Ui couldn't restrain a giggle at the sight of her wobbly legs.

 _Well, at least her mind is awake,_ she thought with a broad smile.

-XXX-

"In December of 1941, Japan joined the Axis alliance, and with their navy forces they attacked both European and United States territory in the Pacific Ocean…" The teacher's voice drawled monotonously as he paced back and forth in front of his students. His right hand gestured lively with every fact that fled from his mouth, his other arm was folded professionally behind his back. It seemed that his passion for the history of World War II was a polar-opposite compared to his class's own, especially of two peculiar band members.

Due to the habits of a hyperactive drummer, Ritsu Tainaka maneuvered her fingers as if she was twirling a drum stick between them. Her head rested tiredly in her other hand, which was propped up on her desk by the elbow. Her amber eyes gained a glazed over look to them as her mind drifted away from the boring reality unraveling before her.

On the other end of the room, Yui was experiencing a similar state of stagnation, though she expressed it differently than Ritsu. Her features remained bubbly the entire class period, giving off the impression that she enjoyed the lecture. However, in all truth, her mind was currently frolicking through a wonderful fantasy land full of ice cream, cake, cookies and other delectable sweets.

Unlike Yui and Ritsu, their third band member Tsumugi Kotobuki astutely paid attention to the lecture while jotting down extensive notes in her journal. Taking a moment to divert her focus, the wealthy blonde glanced at her band mates; it was easy to detect the boredom radiating from them like waves of a monsoon. Releasing a breath of mild amusement, Tsumugi's thick eyebrows lifted as she smiled down at her notebook. It looked like she would have to once again grace her friends with generosity and allow them to copy her notes after class.

Another half hour of torture endured before Ritsu and Yui were blessed with the sound of a chiming school bell. The relief was bitterly obvious for the history teacher as he watched his students frantically gather their belongings and scurry out of the classroom. He shook his head in disappoint at their lack of appreciation for the historic arts and began organizing the paperwork sprawled across his desk, sourly wondering what this generation could possibly provide for the world, let alone Japan.

Eyes sparkling like a puppy chewing their favorite toy, Ritsu held dearly onto the notebook graciously bestowed upon her. Trading grateful looks between the notes and the pleasant keyboardist before her, Ritsu began to realize how lucky she was to know such a virtuous classmate.

"What would I do without you, Mugi-Chan?! You're like a saint!" Mugi simply beamed at the praise as Yui looped an arm around Ritsu's shoulders and gawked at the notebook like it was the Holy Grail.

Lifting her fork to take yet another bite of the cake Mugi provided, the bubbly brunette said through a mouthful, "Thanks, Mugi-Chan~."

Mugi giggled serenely, a touch of pink coloring her cheeks. "No need to thank me Ritsu-Chan, Yui-Chan. Just return it next week, okay?"

Yui gripped Ritsu's shoulder supportively as the drummer cried joyous waterfalls. She shot her blonde friend a curious stare. "Why next week, Mugi-Chan?"

A deafening silenced echoed through the clubroom.

The last two members of the band, Mio Akiyama and Azusa Nakano, tried with all their might to ignore the question, silently continue eating their slices of cake. Mugi's uncanny ability to disguise her inner turmoil with a cheerful grin suddenly increased ten-fold, leaving Ritsu as the only one to enlighten Yui. All forms of giddiness drained from Ritsu and was replaced with the graveness of a woeful surgeon who just failed an operation. Gripping Yui's shoulder, she muttered, "Yui-Chan…we have a huge history exam on Monday."

"Eh! W-when did this happen, Ricchan?!" The brunette's arms flailed with childish panic; she was so genuinely unaware of this dreaded event that it physically hurt. However, her reaction only succeeded in earning further exasperation from the club members. A drop of sweat beaded down their temples.

Deciding to take an alternative approach, Ritsu cautiously turned to face Yui and spoke with the tone of an elementary teacher. "Don't you remember? You know…the super important test that the teacher told us about…p-practically two weeks ago?" Her voice jumped an octave at the tail-end her sentence, oh-so-painfully aware of the lack of recognition from the lead guitarist.

Even from the back of the room, it was visible to Azusa, who couldn't restrain herself any longer from chiding her ditzy sempai. "Yui-Sempai, I might not be in the same history class as you, but I did see a reminder of the test on the board under your class's agenda. Don't tell me you didn't see it." Azusa's reprimanding tendencies signaled Mio to pitch in her own two cents on the matter.

"Yui-San, I'm sure your teacher must've mentioned it a lot during class. Weren't you paying attention at all?" Scratching the back of her head with a sheepish grin, Yui's silent reply was evidence enough that her mind was too occupied with wonderful daydreams to remember her teacher mentioning any upcoming tests. Only a guilty giggle escaped her.

Ritsu sent a pout in Mio's direction and whined, "No fair, Mio-Chuan~! I was supposed to be the only one with a spotlight!"

"I don't think being a barer of bad news is something to be possessive about, Ritsu," Mio retorted dryly. Ritsu waved dismissively at the blank glare.

"That's because you don't understand the beauty of it all."

"Oh really?"

"Of course!"

Mio leaned forward in her seat with a skeptical expression. "Then explain to me how exactly that's beau—"

"Holy crud, Mio! Is that a barnacle on your leg?!"

Mio shrieked while wildly swiping at the back of her legs. "Where?!"

"So Yui-Chan it's obvious that you're gonna need some support on this," Ritsu addressed Yui, as if Mio's humiliation had never even transpired. The bassist in question remained momentarily frozen as her best friend's teasing registered in her brain. Her pale face shadowed dangerously as she raised her left fist.

"I think we should hold a study session at her pl—Ow!"

An almighty left hook smacked Ritsu in the back of her poor head.

"B-baka!" Mio screamed as her cheeks burned bright pink.

A large lump grew atop the drummer's skull in all its painful, comical glory. As Ritsu hissed under her breath, she managed to croak a weak chuckle before mumbling, "Th-that was mean, Mio-Chuan, but I guess that's why you're the dangerous ice queen~."

Mio clenched her fist again. "Do I need to hit you again?"

Ritsu giggled as she unconsciously scooted her chair closer to Yui out of fear. "N-no. I'm fine." Coughing awkwardly into her fist, the drummer's cheeky grin appeared with renewed vigor as she patted Yui's shoulder. "Like I was saying, we should have a study session at Yui-Chan's place for the weekend!" Yui showed absolutely no protest as she beamed brightly at the suggestion. The excitement continued to bubble within her as she glanced Azua's way, bouncing gleefully in her seat all the while.

"That sounds great! What do you think, Azu-nyan~?"

Secretly smiling at Yui's enthusiasm, Azusa bought some time with another forkful of cake before shrugging. Her cascaded down one side like silken midnight as she tilted her head and revealed a small grin. "Well, if it's for the sake of your and Ritsu-Sempai's grade, I guess I could come too."

Ritsu sulked heavily when she realized that the rhythm guitarist had off-handedly assumed that she would need extra help for the test as well. Of course, her assumption was correct—the drummer just wasn't exactly fond of hearing the truth. However, Mugi and Mio had differing reactions; they admired Azusa's adorable cat-like response like it was a rare species surviving in its natural cottony habitat. Yui basked in sight as well…but her reaction exceeded Mugi and Mio's by multitudes.

Azusa's smile faltered a bit with an inkling of nervousness as Yui started fidgeting, the brunette seemingly restraining herself. However, seeing as how the enrapture in the guitarist's gentle cocoa eyes flashed meaningfully in the underclassman's direction, Azusa could already predict what was about to transpire. She cringed in preparation—

"Kawaii~!"

Yui enveloped Azusa in a tight embrace while rubbing her cheek against the younger girl's contently. Despite the hug being expected, the underclassman couldn't restrain a startled mew from escaping her, which caused Yui's hold to strengthen.

"Awww, my Azu-nyan is so adorable!" she cooed. Azusa's face flushed when she heard the elder guitarist announce ownership of her so casually. Strangely enough, she had taken notice of her arms subconsciously rising to return the hug, but halted just before they made contact and attempted to shove away Yui's affections.

"L-let me go, Yui-Sempai!"

Ritsu and Mio remained silent as the eccentricities transpired. Besides, it was a daily occurrence. Mugi, on the other hand, ogled the sight with ridiculously large sparkles in her cerulean eyes while smiling serenely. This was also another regular, yet disturbing, action that Mio and Ritsu tended to ignore since neither of them felt comfortable questioning it. Something in their guts told them that it was best not to discover what ran through the keyboardist's mind during such times.

Noting her precious underclassman's reluctance to accept her hug, Yui sulked before releasing Azusa. "Mou!Azu-nyan always plays hard to get." Azusa eschewed her vision from her moping band mate while fighting to bring down her blush.

"You love birds done now?" Ritsu teased with a mischievous grin.

Azusa's blush returned instantly.

"R-Ritsu-Sempai!" the rhythm guitarist whined frantically as Yui happily continued munching on her cake. She seemed either unaware of the drummer's comment or wasn't giving it much thought; likely a mixture of both.

"Don't deny it Azusa-Chan~. You want to come just to be with your precious guitarist, ne?" Just as the flustered underclassman began to sputter a retort, another punch struck the back of Ritsu's head.

"Itai!"

"Stop always teasing our kouhai!" Mio hissed angrily with a deep blush of her own. All those years of receiving her best friend's abuse must've finally graced Ritsu with some abnormal form of immunity because she had recovered from the blow instantly. Smiling goofily with an even larger, steaming bump on her head, she concluded, "So I guess that settles it then! We'll all stay overnight at Yui-Chan's place!"

Showing disbelief at Ritsu's composed attitude, Mio looked over her fist skeptically…worried if maybe her hits were becoming weaker.

Mugi clasped her hands together in delight. "I'll make sure to bring plenty of snacks tonight."

That was practically all Yui needed to hear as she gained a far away and peaceful look in her eyes, anticipating the delectable array of sweets to consume later that evening. Slapping her hands on the table with finality, Yui proclaimed, "I'll tell Ui that you're all coming as soon as I get home today!" Her friends giggled softly, also feeling similar eagerness for tonight's get together.

-XXX-

Carrying her treasured guitar within its case—which was hoisted across her back—Yui trotted merrily down the city sidewalk, intent on informing her younger sister of the study session. The radiance of her smile rivaled the illumination of the midday sun as she hummed her band HTT's hit single, _FuwaFuwa Time._ If any random pedestrian was to take one glance in her direction, there would be no hesitation in theorizing that she was floating on cloud nine.

As Yui rounded the corner, she could vaguely see a local store a few meters ahead. In fact, if Yui remembered correctly, it was the one where Ui shopped regularly.

Many students at the lead guitarist's school knew of Yui's oblivious behavior. However, that rumor was revoked when she noticed something unusual. Her ears registered the sound of muffled yet aggressive shouting from inside the store.

The peppiness in her step dwindled into a more cautious pace. As she approached the store entrance, the screaming gradually increased in volume. An uneasy feeling kindled in the pit of her stomach. She momentarily halted to calm herself and take deep breaths, as she was almost sure that she was succumbing to her fears too easily. Finding her curios spirit return from a brief hiatus, Yui nodded to herself and continued walking.

Another male who appeared to be middle aged and brunette was walking towards Yui with a placid expression. However, his facial features became riddled with panic as he looked through the store's glass windows. His form was frozen in shock before he was able to break from his trance and frantically reach into his pants pocket. Yui's brow furrowed with confusion as he pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number with quivering hands.

"H-hello? Police? Y-yes, there are three people inside the store!" Even if Yui did indeed lack a handling in better judgment, her subconscious screamed for the guitarist to not look through those large windows. To turn around and just leave. Regardless, her body disobeyed the warning and she slowly crept closer.

The anxious citizen paid no heed to Yui as he continued relaying information to the authorities.

"They're all wearing masks a-and…and I think they're robbing th-the cashier! Yeah—Saitama! U-um…" Sweeping a hand through his tresses in frustration, the man frantically took in his surroundings. Once he spotted a sign a few feet ahead that read Imai providence, a very audible gasp escaped him. "I-Imai providence! A grocery store in Imai near Sakuragoaka High School! Yes—please, p-please hurry! I think they might shoo—"

His feverish rambling came to a stop as he dropped the cellphone and took a few steps back with his hands raised. Horror overwhelmed his very being.

That was the final straw.

Yui jogged up to the terrified man and, once she was within reaching distance, extended a comforting hand to him. "Sir? Are you okay—"

 ** _Bang!_**

A gut-twisting bang and loud shatter pierced the air.

Yui screamed in shock as she ducked and covered her head, protecting herself from the onslaught of flying glass shards. When she opened her eyes, they were met with a gruesome sight.

A flurry of crimson spurting from the man's back.

Yui released another shriek as his dilated pupils stared down at the gaping hole in his chest. His hands numbly cradled the wound before flopping backwards, falling to cement with a traumatizing thud. The life in his eyes instantly vanished.

Yui's fingers dug into her scalp as she panted with panic and sobbed heavy tears. "O-oh my Kami! Oh my Kami, oh my…" Turning her fearful, shaky gaze in the direction the bullet had travelled from, her panic proceeded to triple. An individual dressed a black outfit and ski mask confidently held up a hand gun. His haughty posture showed not a single inkling of regret for murdering the innocent bystander. A second robber wearing similar attired yelled furiously at his armed comrade while shoving him. The last thief, who was likely a female, was screeching in discontent as well at her partner's insane actions.

Completely immobilized with fear, Yui stared helplessly as the armed robber finally realized the guitarist's presence. She could see the killer smirk under his mask as he aimed at her quivering form. All energy left Yui's legs and she collapsed to her knees. Her life flashed before her eyes.

However, the second robber who had previously pushed his partner also glanced at Yui. This criminal's deep emerald eyes flashed in recognition. Frantically, he pounced the shooter's arm. The unforeseen interruption caused the killer's finger to slip and pull the trigger. A sharp whiz whiffed past Yui's ear as the bullet just barely missed her.

Something within her—something deeply buried and primal and weak from hibernation—jolted to life at the feeling of being fired at. Without stealing another glance at the arguing criminals, Yui shot to her feet and ran off, faster and more fluidly than her clumsy nature could ever hope to achieve.

The shooter growled to himself in aggravation as he glared at his partner.

"What're you doing?! I almost had her!"

"I couldn't let you kill her man!" the jade eyed thief shouted back. His armed comrade scoffed in response before placing the gun in the back of his waistband.

The female accomplice anxiously crept closer to her green-eyed partner and whispered hurriedly, "Didn't she look familiar to you?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, there's no doubt…th-that was definitely her." He looked upon his female comrade with deep confusion. "But...it doesn't make any sense. I thought she was dead!"

"I thought the same thing, but she was just now standing there!"

Ignoring their conversation, the shooter carelessly tossed assorted foods off the shelves in search for something he wanted. "Fuck you two. I'm grabbing some junk food."

However, his splurge was cut short.

Taking advantage of the distraction, the cashier stealthily slipped his hand under the counter and activated the alarm. A deafening ring went off in the store.

Reaching behind his back without a second thought, the shooter menacingly pointed a finger at the cowering cashier. "You…" Revealing his hand gun once again, he leveled the barrel between the eyes of his hostage. He sneered cruelly as his finger lightly pressed on the trigger. "You'll pay dearly for that, you son of a bitch!"

"No!"

Just as before, the green-eyed robber grabbed his arm and misguided the bullet. The cashier flinched violently as a small hole appeared in the wall inches away from his head. He slowly slid down and curled into a quivering ball.

The female criminal assisted with subduing the shooter until he finally allowed them to wrench the gun from his hand. The trio huffed angrily from the skirmish as the alarm continued to ring noisily.

"The hell are you doing?! Stop trying to kill everyone! We only brought that gun for intimidation dammit!" The female sputtered in outrage.

Waving around the weapon like a toy, her twisted partner chuckled mockingly, "Are you fucking kidding me?! This gun is meant for one thing and one thing only. To shoot people!"

"You're out of your damn mind! I knew we should have picked someone else to come with us!"

"Oh please! This wouldn't have been successful if it wasn't for me!"

They bickered back and forth intensely, neither party willing to back down.

Soon, the distant sound of police sirens began to mix with the distress signal. A string of curses spilled from the shooter like molten lava. "Shit! This damn cashier got lucky! Come on guys, we gotta get the hell out of here!" His two rational partners held no qualms about the declaration and ran for the back exit, their bag of stolen money in tow. However, as the shooter began to run through the door, he turned back to face the glass windows with a growing smirk. He reached into his duffle bag and pulled out a spray can, shaking it rapidly as an evil chortle rumbled in his chest.

"Heheh, this city will know of our return! Guys, come help me with this first!"

Groans of protest escaped the others, but they obeyed and retrieved their own spray cans.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Welp, we made it through the first chapter! Please let me know if you're interested, if you'd like for me to continue, and all that other good shiz in the reviews! Until next time!

-Stay gucci


	2. Closeted Skeletons

**Author's Note:** Apologies for the huge delay/absence, everyone! I'm currently trapped in the hectic typhoon of trying to get my life in order and a hefty chunk of free time was sacrificed in turn. Regardless, I finally had the chance to plant my butt in a chair and crank this out! Hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own K-On! or any of its characters.

* * *

Her teary eyes stung with each current that whipped across her face, but due to the adrenaline coursing through her body, it was the most minor detail in her entire world. Her legs pumped at staggering speeds and only strained to move faster. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, sending waves of aftershock down her body and ending at the padding of her feet. It felt like her shoes weren't even touching the ground. She was sprinting so fast.

Through the horror, a giddy nostalgia began to flood her system. Instinct threatened to take over, almost coaxing Yui into diving head first into the sensation. But before she could lose herself in the familiar yet estranged elation, she bit her bottom lip and forced herself to slow down.

It was a struggle both physically and emotionally, but she had gradually dropped in speed until stopping in the middle of a suburban street. The internal territory that she dared to even think of treading was forbidden. Yui could only sigh to herself in relief that she didn't.

Huffing in exhaustion and hands on her hips, Yui turned her gaze in the direction she ran from and instantly felt guilt fill her. She had witnessed an innocent man's death and didn't attempt to assist him in anyway. Her fear at that time was overwhelming; she had to escape as soon as possible.

And yet, suspicions overpowered her shame, remembering that one of the robbers saved her life. She migrated to the sidewalk, hoping to draw attention away from herself, but the sweat beading her brow and disheveled hair earned curious glances from her neighbors.

An uncharacteristic frown graced her features as she wondered what reason the criminal could have for sparing her. She was certain that it couldn't have been anyone from her school since it was an all-girls academy and there weren't many people outside of school that she was acquainted with.

Then, Yui fell still.

That man's eye color. A striking yet gentle forest green. Of course, she had crossed paths with many green-eyed individuals, but none with a such an impactful hue. _At least…I don't think I have…_ There was just a flicker of hesitation lurking in the back of her mind, as if warning Yui that she was forgetting something major.

Her psyche had every right to be reluctant.

Her stomach flipped as a bitter possibility fleeted through her mind, only for her to reject it immediately. Realizing that her hands were shaking, she tensed them into fists and took deep, calming breaths. _Forget about it. Just forget about it…_ she inwardly chanted until the tremors died. She scolded herself for bringing up such a mental image. It was impossible for _him_ and _that_ criminal to be the _same person_ , especially since the male she thought of was-

A vibration in Yui's pocket.

She retrieved her phone and saw that her younger sister Ui had sent a text message. A small smile graced her face—the message was an extensive and anxious list of questions concerning the guitarist's current location. It was expected since Yui had taken much longer than usual to return home. However, the brunette's smile turned quizzical when she read the last part.

 _Please hurry home there's something u need to see!  
_  
Maybe Yui was jumping to conclusions. Maybe she was still feeling paranoid because of the robbing incident, but that final statement surged fresh panic through her system. Despite her house being only a few blocks away, she broke out into a sprint. She nearly collided with the front door, but managed to skid to a halt in time and fumble clumsily with the knob. She rushed inside and distractedly kicked off her shoes, not caring where they'd fly off to. She scanned her surroundings nervously for Ui.

The younger brunette in question shot up from the couch, surprised by the commotion Yui caused when she stormed in. However, she regained her composure just as quickly and took note of Yui's rough apparel. Her sister's locks were ruffled and the sweat upon her face could fill a bucket. Ui's maternal instincts cranked into overdrive as she practically pounced on Yui and checked her over for any injuries.

"O-Onee-Chan? What happened to you?"

Yui soaked in Ui's franticness greedily, allowing it to soothe her heart rate into something more normal. It seemed that she had been worrying over nothing; her sister was as protective and fretful as ever. Thank Kami. The ditzy teen's signature smile bloomed to life as she grabbed Ui's shoulder and gently guided her back a step or two.

"Don't worry Ui, I'm fine!" To further prove her point, Yui shrugged and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, her smile widening. However, her grin faltered when she recalled the text message and couldn't help but voice her concerns about it. "Ui, you said I had to see something?"

Gasping with sudden realization, Ui abandoned her protective analyzing and pointed at the television. "O-onee-Chan, something terrible happened! Just look!" Yui cautiously approached the TV while sitting on the couch, her sister doing the same.

Breaking news hovered across the top of the screen in bold urgent letters as an anchorman faced the camera. His expression was despondent, though the professionalism remained like a stone film. Flying across the bottom of the screen just as he began to speak expressed the following report: Grocery Store Raid and Murder.

"We have just received instant information that a local grocery store in Imai Providence was robbed and vandalized less than an hour ago," the reporter informed gravely as he fiddled with a stack of documents before him.

"Onee-Chan…th-that's the same store where I shop. I couldn't even imagine what would've happened if I was there…" Ui mumbled fearfully without tearing her eyes from the TV. This was fortunate for Yui because her features slowly dropped into somber frown.

"The cashier of the establishment was held hostage during the crime. Due to massive mental and emotional trauma, he has refused to speak publicly. However, he did consent to answering a few questions privately. As it reads from the interview…" The reporter skimmed over the sheet in his hands."There were three individuals dressed entirely in black, two male and one female. One of the males was in possession of a gun and had shot a passing pedestrian who was calling 119. All the money has been liberated of the register and the windows have been smashed in and violated."

An inaudible sigh of relief escaped Yui as it seemed the cashier had forgotten to mention her presence during the altercation. If Ui or anyone close to her learned that she was involved, it would cause great unease and worry amongst them. That was the last thing she wished upon her precious people.

She then glanced down to see her younger sister's hand inching towards her own, hoping to seek a form of comfort. Yui didn't hesitate. She gently gripped Ui's hand and when she tuned back into the story, multiple recordings of the store flashed left and right. It first showed the caution tape surrounding the building and a particular sidewalk stained with a large puddle of blood.

Yui's stomach lurched as she realized who that blood belonged to and felt her previous guilt return with renewed vigor. She had almost missed the feeling of Ui squeezing her hand from the gruesome sight, but she didn't make any move to notice it.

"It has also been revealed that the name of the murdered passerby was Takeru Gimikichi. He was thirty-eight years old and had a family…A wife and three kids…" Yui's jaw clenched so hard that her teeth threatened to crack; the guilt continued to relentlessly pile onto her shoulders. She registered another squeeze from her sister but, just as before, she refused to show that she had felt it. A scarcely used sector of logic in Yui's brain told her that looking at Ui would bring further shame.

Another recording of the store rolled. One of the windows were completely shattered and—trying with all her might to suppress a chill from shooting up her spine—Yui was reminded of the bullet that had nearly taken her life. She could remember the viscous dose of adrenaline coursing through her body, mind, and soul as the bullet sliced through a centimeter worth of air next to her ear. There was still a faint ring bouncing around in her skull.

It was the most complex sensation Yui had ever been burdened to experience. That moment of shackled freedom should have been locked away in the deepest and darkest part of her subconscious. And yet it had returned so easily, as if it was all muscle memory or primal instinct. _Never again. I have to…No. I_ _ **need**_ _to ignore it next time and keep it out of my system._ Yui gulped silently as she closed her eyes, still listening to the report.

"Multiple messages were spray painted across the other windows and walls…Every single one of them mentioning 'rebirth', 'we have returned', and 'Urban Jumpers'. This is the strongest piece of evidence that the authorities have at the moment, as they believe that the name Urban Jumpers may be an uprising rebellious gang." There was something significant to Yui about the reference to rebirth and Urban Jumpers, though she had never heard of the group before.

But the name undoubtedly sounded…reminiscent.

A plump and callous police officer stood in front of the crime scene with a small microphone attached to his vest collar. His name, Officer Kabato Yaminaka, drifted from the left-end of the screen and hovered below him. "The robbery was more than likely a random pick by the criminals. The usual steal and run. We are preparing our forensic and detective teams at this very moment to determine the identities of the three culprits, so the entire premises will be quarantined for a month or two."

Yui's eyes flung open.

She may not be fully certain what forensic meant, but she was definitely aware of the purpose behind a detective team. What if they somehow managed to find some clue that lead them back to Yui? Of course, she would have no problem answering the authority's questions, but only if it was during a private session that no one else knew of. That seemed highly unlikely though since the traumatized cashier's responses were aired on TV. Yui could guess that she wouldn't be an exception.

It brought temporary reprieve, but she bit her bottom lip to anchor her frazzled thoughts in place and listened further.

"The felons' possible location and identities are currently unknown…However, one of our men who were attempting to apprehend them did notice something particular." Both Ui and Yui stared intensely at the chief's expression as it twisted in disbelief. "He…had witnessed two of the thieves escape through a back alley and scale up the building walls. Then they ran across the rooftops. The last one had…" he trailed off uncertainly as he took a moment to form his next words. "Swung his body through an open window of the neighboring company building belonging to Saitama Insurance corporations…More importantly, this window was on the fourteenth floor."

Officer Kaboto took the liberty of pointing to his right with the camera following his motion, presenting the company that he was referring to.

Ui's eyes widened in sheer astonishment as she remembered how tall the establishment was, especially since she would have to crane her neck just to get a glimpse of the top. She couldn't fathom how someone could possibly reach that height let alone squeeze through the small opening the windows provided. However, Yui's reaction was an inaudible hum of acknowledgment.

The feat wasn't as impossible as Ui believed.

"No further information has been received from the authorities because—as quoted from Officer Kabato Yaminaka—'The crime scene had only just occurred and needs further investigation'…" It wasn't visible, but Yui could literally _hear_ the eye-roll in the reporter's voice. "I'm Kuno Lee, local news station for Imai Providence, Japan. Where danger to the people arises, we are always first to alert you. Goodnight," Kuno said monotonously before the screen faded to black.

Feeling immense relief at the fact that her name wasn't mentioned, Yui released a deep sigh and plopped backwards into the couch. The soft thud was the only thing to exist among the silence. However, it was shattered once Ui gathered the courage to face her, features dipped in concern.

"O-onee-Chan…Those thieves are still running around somewhere! W-what if they attack us…What if they attack you?" Yui's heart clenched as she caught the faintest trace of tears pricking at the corners of Ui's eyes. Tending to the duties of a mother figure was what her younger sister knew best, but Yui knew that the possibility of either of them being in danger was overwhelming for Ui. Just the thought of the ditzy teen being assaulted or mugged by those criminals made Ui sick to her stomach.

Yui banished any lingering thoughts she had about the news and revealed one of her broad, gentle smiles. The guitarist held her little sister tightly, allowing her head to rest on her shoulder as she released a shuddering breath, attempting to calm the raging fear. Yui lovingly rubbed Ui's back while whispering, "Everything will be alright, Ui. Nothing will happen to us. We'll look out for each other, ne?"

"B-but Onee-Chan…" Ui opposed weakly.

Yui slackened her grip and leaned back a bit to stare Ui right in the eyes. Her gaze gleamed with naïve confidence as she slapped a hand over her heart and declared, "I promise, Ui! As your Onee-Chan, I will protect you with my life!" Ui's complexion paled a bit at the thought of Yui dying while protecting her. Noticing her mistake, Yui quickly added, "A-and of course I'll stay alive too!" A loud sigh escaped Ui before she smiled gratefully at her sister.

"Thank you, Onee-Chan. But that doesn't mean I want you risking your life. Just worry about staying safe, okay?" Yui nodded with a bubbly smile, the younger brunette mirroring the expression a beat after.

A shaky calmness settled over the pair. Finally. Blissfully...until a loud grumble echoed from Yui's stomach.

A cherry red blush flared across the guitarist's cheeks as she scratched the back of her head. "Heheh~. Ui…W-when's dinner?" Ui giggled at her sister's antics before standing and promptly marching towards the kitchen.

"Don't worry, Onee-Chan. It won't take me long. How about you go upstairs and do your homework? I'll call you down when I'm done," she suggested kindly as she adorned her traditional cooking apron. She began distributing the proper dishes and ingredients for supper. Holding no arguments whatsoever with the offer, Yui only smiled and happily pranced her way to the stairs.

Just then, as her foot landed on the first step, she halted as her face gained a thoughtful expression.

As much as Yui had wished against it, her previous worries concerning the store robbery returned with vengeance. So many questions were bouncing around the girl's head, yet she couldn't find a single answer. Who were the Urban Jumpers? Why did that criminal save her? And why did it seem like he knew her? Would her friends eventually find out that she was involved in the incident? And if so, how would Yui explain to them that she had left a wounded man, husband and father of three children, alone to die? Finally…what was it about the entire situation that left such an uneasy feeling in the pit of her gut?

Snapping out of her disarrayed thoughts, Yui looked up to momentarily watch her younger sister busily move about the kitchen. She gave pause, just basking in the peaceful atmosphere of her home and Ui before exhaling. A deep and cleansing sigh. Yui beamed brightly. _There's nothing to worry about…Nothing could ruin this. Not even those thieves._ She took another step up the stairs before calling out, "Ui?"

"Yes, Onee-Chan?" Ui responded while still bustling about.

"I almost forgot to tell you that everyone is coming over tonight to have a study

session. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course! It'd be great to have your friends over again! Oh, is Azusa-Chan coming too?" At the mention of her favorite band mate's name, the wattage behind Yui's smile doubled.

"Yep! Azunyan's coming~!" Another amused giggle escaped Ui as she detected the delight radiating from her sister.

"Well, I can't wait for it, Onee-Chan. I'll make sure to cook enough for everyone."

"That'll be a lot of food…" Yui trailed off thoughtfully but then perked up as she offered, "How about I help?"

Memories of Yui's previous failed attempts at cooking flashed through Ui's mind.

"Th-that's okay, Onee-Chan. I'll be fine."

Yui tilted her head in light confusion before replying reluctantly, "Okay Ui…If you say so." She waited a moment, just in case Ui would change her mind. However, she realized rather soon that wouldn't be the case, so she finally treaded upstairs and entered her room, her door clicking closed quietly. As the faint sound graced her ears, Ui's head suddenly whipped up as she recalled something. _I never got to ask Onee-Chan why she was late coming home today._ She turned a pondering expression upwards, as if expecting the ceiling to hold the answer. Regardless, she shrugged and figured she could ask Yui about it later.

-XXX-

Yui's body was completely frozen as she sat upon her bed, deep brown pupils glued to her closet. Nothing about her form gave away what was running through her mind, but her contemplative eyes expressed a thousand, unspoken words and musings. Her gaze shifted around as she tried vehemently to find answers to her questions, but she always ran into a dead end. A subconscious brick wall.

Time was not registering normally for Yui. As her leg bounced, she noticed that her room had darkened considerably. _When did the sun set?_ she wondered briefly, only brush it aside as her attention snapped back to the closet.

As her last inkling of patience vanished from existence, Yui stood from her bed and neared the closet.

Then halted halfway.

Instead, she took a quick detour to her room door and locked it, feeling insecurity overwhelm her senses.

With privacy intact, Yui once again crept up to her closet and cautiously gripped the knob. Her abdomen clenched, reconsidering her actions. It took the mental fortitude of Hercules to fight off her hesitance. With a deep inhale, she swung it open and was immediately awarded the view of her clothes neatly arranged on hangers-thanks to Ui, obviously.

However, Yui paid no heed to this. She pushed them aside and fell to her knees. Her eyes squinted as peered down at a messy pile of childhood knick-knacks and random belongings. She also pushed this aside with equal indifference until her hands made contact with a cardboard surface, which happened to be an old and dented shoe box.

A large wave of nostalgia crashed against Yui as she gazed at the label with despondent longing. Slowly, she stood. Box in hand.

Yui re-seated herself on her bed and rested the mysterious shoe box in her lap. Her hands quivered subtly as they gingerly traced the outline of it. Remembering. Reminiscing on the familiarity of it. Vaguely wondering how long it'd been since the guitarist had last laid hands upon it.

This seemingly insignificant object had always been precious to Yui. Ui had never understood why but the older sibling had asked her not to look inside. She could only thank Kami that Ui always respected that. A tiny, endearing smile spread across Yui's face. _Ui is always so trustworthy. Makes me wonder how I was lucky enough to have such a great little sister…_ As those words ran through her head, Yui's fingers hooked themselves under the lid, just barely lifting it.

Another beat of wariness hung over Yui.

Two more…

She flipped it open-swiftly. Before she could change her mind.

It would've been expected of anyone other than Yui. She wasn't known to be athletic, nor a lover of such a brand. Inside the box was a pair of reddish-mahogany Adidas sneakers with black laces. However, it was the folded piece of paper resting beneath the shoes that held a much greater importance to Yui than anyone would ever know.

Slowly retracting the slightly crumpled up paper, Yui unfolded it and raked her dark auburn pupils over them. Scribbled sloppily onto the paper was a list of names with a cell number next to each one.

The identities read off one-by-one: Ayumu, Isamu, Kichiro, Cho, and Iwao.

Yui's visage twisted with pain as she scanned over the last name. A troubling memory jumped to the surface-

 _DING-DONG!_

Startled, Yui threw the paper back into the box and slammed it closed. Panic briefly coursed through her veins before her heart beat began to lull back to a normal pace. False alarm. Just a false alarm.

"Onee-Chan, your friends are here!" Ui called as the noises of multiple individuals shuffling around emitted from downstairs. Yui shoved the box as far under her bed as her arm would allow before springing to her feet and hurriedly descended the steps.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** And there it is! Questions around Yui continue to brew. What's so important about that shoe box? Who are those list of people on that piece of paper? I suppose we'll find out next time, lovelies! But, for now, please...

Leave a review!


	3. Meeting Adjourned

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! So, so sorry for taking forever to get this chapter up, but I'm hoping to post the next one without making you wait for months at a time. If you've stuck around and are still invested in this story, then please know that A) you're beyond awesome and B) I appreciate you so much!

Now, with that out of the way, please enjoy reading this chapter and meeting the new crew!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own K-On! nor any of its characters.

* * *

As there were prosperous and tranquil districts of Japan, run-down and poor areas existed as well. One district fitting that unfortunate description was Kamagasaki, where it posed as the largest slum for the homeless and dangerous. The docks of Kamagasaki were small compared to the traditional expanse of others, but for a particular handful of rebels, the size was just right. The warehouses were spacious, yet inconspicuous enough to divert the attention of authorities.

At the farthest end of the docks was the largest warehouse. Not a single window was left unscathed, either overrun with hairline cracks or shattered completely. Dust and grime coated nearly every inch of cold grey walls.

The inside of the warehouse wasn't any better. Just beyond the tall, steel double doors were multiple stacks of large crates pushed up against the farthest corners. Only a select few of the containers were scattered about the center of the floor as makeshift furniture.

A female with wavy, brunette hair cascading down to her middle back and light hazel eyes sat atop one of the crates while swinging her short legs back and forth. This action was profoundly easy for the girl since her height was no taller than five feet and four inches. By no means was she stalky or chubby in any fashion. In fact, she and her five companions shared the bodies of seasoned athletes.

On a crate next to her own were two other people. One of them was a boy with a feathery midnight faux hawk. He appeared to be about two or three years younger than everyone else. Random streaks of green lined his dark hair, the hue matching his pupils almost perfectly. Running down the left corner of his lips, lower left bicep and upper left forearm were faded but still very visible scars.

Sitting right next to him was a somewhat gangly but firmly built female with elegant deep burgundy hair, falling just above stern shoulders. An array of freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose, though it did nothing to diminish the wise and sharp aura emitting from her cocoa eyes. Her expression was a staggering contrast to the young boy's gentle and anxious one.

Just below him was another male, seemingly content with seating himself in a pool of dust and grime. His gray eyes were just a few tones why of milky white. His haunted gaze was locked onto his faux haired friend, skepticism as clear as day. Many would think the feat to be impossible, since layers of silver and lavender tresses covered his eyes completely.

"I don't know man…Let's not get crazy and assume things," The grey eyed boy said as he flipped his hair, only for it to drape over his sight again.

"Yeah! Are you out of your damn mind, kid?!" The disembodied and booming voice came from their next member-A huge and muscular man that could give bears a run for their money in a match of strength. His ginger hair was buzzed and trimmed quite neatly around the edges, but is eyebrows were neglected of a proper tweezing. His wild five o' clock spoke similarly. Angry veins lined his rock hard arms and neck, which were scarily off-putting while combined with his goofy smile.

The boy with a bi-colored Mohawk flinched from the haughty yell before shrugging. The colossal brute of a man took this as a sign to continue protesting and did so with noisy gusto. "You and I and everyone else know damn well that Yui isn't around anymore! You've already heard the…story from us…" he trailed off in an uncharacteristic whisper-as if bringing up the subject was a major taboo. The boy's vision was suddenly downcast with shame and agony. He _definitely_ recalled the dreaded story.

Right down to the very last devastating detail.

"Y-yeah…I remember it," he whispered meekly.

In that moment, the small brunette next to him finally stopped swinging her legs and offered a sympathetic frown. "Don't feel down about it, Imao. Isamu is just being a big stick in the mud!"

The beefy man known as Isamu gained pouted and crossed his arms. "What? You guys all know I'm right!"

Hunching forward to rest her elbows on her thighs, the elegant, lanky female murmured with the tone of someone who hadn't slept for years, "Hold on, Isamu. Don't forget I was there too…And as crazy as it sounds, I saw it with my own eyes. It couldn't have been anyone else."

"Cho, you can't be serious!" Isamu guffawed in disbelief.

Cho raised an eyebrow. "Did I stutter?"

The tiny brunette had to repress a giggle as Isamu froze at the snarky comment. Huffing childishly, he narrowed an eye at the chortling woman and grumbled, "What're you laughing at Ayumu…"

The sentence came out more as a complaint rather than a question and Ayumu didn't need help detecting it. She chuckled sheepishly. "N-nothing Isamu!"

"That's what I thought…" Isamu curled further into himself, effectively taking up the 'I'm sad and going to throw a silent tantrum now' position.

A cackle escaped the ghostly-eyed man. "Uh-oh, I think you hurt Big Bear's feelings, Cho," he teased. A vein pulsed on Isamu's forehead at the mention of his signature nickname; he wasn't very fond of the title.

Cho shrugged indifferently. "What? He's a grown man, he'll get over it-"

"I'm not Big Bear!" Isamu yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at the man with light grey pupils.

"…I told you, Kichiro," Cho finished, already resigned to the switch in topic. Isamu could never stay focused on one thing for too long anyway. On the other hand, Kichiro exploded into a round of laughter while cradling his stomach. Kami-he loved teasing the giant a tad _too much_ sometimes.

However, his laughter dwindled at the sight of Isamu's beefy fists clenching tighter and tighter. The veins lining his arms became more visible as his chest rumbled with a furious growl. His teeth grated against each one other so harshly that Kichiro's heightened senses could hear it. Kichiro paled as he cautiously raised his hands and rushed out in one breath, "N-n-no, no, no, no, you're not Big Bear! You're Isamu! You've always been Isamu! It's what your parents named you! Calm down and don't do anything crazy!" Kichiro's arms were already crossed over his head, awaiting a powerful hook to come clocking him in the skull like a hammer from the gods.

Cho, Ayumu, and Imao sweat dropped at their cowering friend. However, it took all their might not to do a double-take as they latched their attention back onto Isamu, who looked considerably calmer than before and was playing with the hair on his chin. A contemplative expression adorned his rough visage. "Hmmm…My mom always did like my name…"

It took less than a millisecond for Kichiro to jump at his only means of escaping Isamu's angry clutches. "Y-yes! I'm sure your mom and dad loved your name very much! I-Isamu is a nice name!"

"It is, isn't it? I've got a pretty damn nice name!" Isamu stated this as if it was a scientific discovery that would prolong the survival of humanity. His chest puffed out in pride, causing a long and deep sigh of relief to escape Kichiro.

Cho pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Guys…We are seriously off track…"

"Kichiro started it!" Isamu yelled while pointing at Kichiro, his face set into a comical sulk.

Mirroring the naïve man's actions, Kichiro also pointed at Isamu and replied frantically, "Nu-uh! It was Isamu who was getting all angry over nothing!"

"You called me Big Bear, you Blind Bat!" Isamu interjected heatedly.

Aggravation suddenly flooded Kichiro. "I'm not blind! I can see perfectly!"

"You may not be blind, but you're both idiots…" Cho murmured with a twinge of venom coating her words. The freckled girl's tone, which had fluidly registered in Isamu and Kichiro's ears, was successful in shutting them up. Isamu assumed his previous pouting position, this time actually turning his back on everyone with a loud huff.

Ayumu giggled while gingerly patting Isamu's wide back in hopes that it would lift his spirits. "It's okay Isamu; I don't think you're an idiot at all!"

"Thanks Ayumu…" Isamu mumbled, still refusing to face his companions.

Cho sighed in exasperation. "Guys, please. Just focus for a second here. Imao and I just saw someone that was supposed to be dead for Kami's sake." As if her words were a proverbial switch, the jubilance surrounding them died. Imao's fingers fiddled with each other as he intently awaited any sign of belief from his comrades, but was only given skeptical looks from Kichiro, Isamu, and Ayumu. Cho also took note of her friends' hesitance. Feeling that she had no choice but to confide in their final member's input, she reluctantly looked to the far right.

"Hey! You were there too. Tell them that you saw her, Hotaru." Secluded from the group of rebels and resting atop his own individual crate was a man who appeared to be in his early twenties. A wavy mess of black hair cloaked the top rims of his eyes, clashing against the shocking frigidity of his blue eyes. Those icy ocean orbs burned holes through Cho as he counted a thick stack of money. The bag from their heist rested on the floor below him.

"Yeah, I saw some chick. So fucking what?" Hotaru said with a sneer. He mentally capped off the total before placing their earnings next to several other stacks. Neatly ordered and arranged. A true testament to his organized nature.

Not even flinching from the harshness of his voice, Cho asked, "Do you remember what she looks like? Didn't she have brown hair? ...Stopped at her shoulders? Brown eyes? She even had the same little yellow clips in her hair."

Hotaru scoffed and carelessly tossed the last few bills back into the bag. He then leaned forward, pinning Cho down with a sour stare. "Why the hell am I being interrogated?"

"This isn't an interrogation," Cho said immediately.

"Sure feels like one!"

"So you agree that you saw her too?"

"That's what I fucking said, isn't it?!"

"Just checking."

During their argument, Imao had flinched away from Hotaru with every angry word that flew out of his mouth. By the time Cho had pivoted around and took in the boy's scared expression, Ayumu was already on her feet and standing next to Imao and patting his shoulder.

An embarrassed, barely noticeable blush flared across Imao's face from the attention, but he made no move to resist her comfort. It was classic Ayumu-always looking out for everyone in the group. Always there to lend an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or a smile to brighten someone's mood.

On the other hand, Isamu frowned indignantly at the loss of attention he was receiving from Ayumu. It was a childish breed of jealousy that bubbled up in his massive chest, but one that he couldn't ignore. "What about me, Ayumu?!" he whined loudly.

For the first time that day, Imao smiled as he watched conflict play across Ayumu's face. Her hand froze, then tried to pull away from Imao… Only to freeze again. Luckily, Imao was far too merciful to watch her suffer like this, so he reassured the woman gently, "I'm fine, Ayumu. You don't have to comfort me anymore. Isamu needs you, yeah?"

Gratefulness glimmered in Ayumu's hazel irises as she bounced over to Isamu and rewarded him with a smile of. Isamu's grudges always disappeared quickly when it involved Ayumu, especially since the husky man saw her more as a precious little sister rather than a mere acquaintance. Did the notion sting Ayumu's heart sometimes? For sure. But she cherished whatever relationship she had with him.

A broad and goofy smile made home upon Isamu's visage, his temper soothed.

Hotaru's face scrunched up with disgust; if there was one sentiment that made him gag, it was compassion. No-friendship…. Both. At the same time. Huffing, he hopped off the crate and dusted off his hands. "What I don't understand is why you guys are all flipping out about this girl anyways! What's so damn important about her? She looked like any old regular school girl to me!"

"That's only because you're new here, Hotaru," Ayumu interjected with an extra pep in her step.

Hotaru rolled his eyes before replying in a mock, joyful tone, "Thanks for cluing me in~!"

Ayumu beamed. "You're welcome~!"

A vein pulsed on Hotaru's forehead; for as long as he's had the displeasure of working with the woman, he never once was able to provoke any depression or anger from her. She was borderline impossible to faze.

"Ayumu's right," Cho quipped lowly as Hotaru finally stared at her with an emotion besides hostility-intrigue. "You're our first new member… but all of us here are the last of the City Runners." Hotaru and the rest of the gang remained eerily silent as they allowed the collected female to continue. "And that chick that you think is just some random school girl happens to be the Crimson Flash-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the fucking phone!" Hotaru interrupted loudly with both hands raised. He traded a beyond miffed look among the runners. "…Are you kidding me?! That pathetic, bawling little girl was Crimson Flash? _The Crimson Flash?!_ You're insane! From what I heard, the Crimson Flash was practically the most elusive, fearless and fastest thief in the City Runners!"

Cho nodded. "That's right."

"She's nothing like that!" Flames of frustration kindled in Hotaru's cerulean orbs as his sneer returned with renewed vigor, completely incapable of believing such an absurd revelation. For as long as he could remember, Hotaru had idolized the legendary Crimson Flash. He craved, longed, and above all else _dreamed_ of becoming a free-runner as strong and respected as the underground marvel. Now that some placid faced, ruby-haired woman was trying to inform him of what was surely a lie about his role model, Hotaru found himself thrown through a loop.

"Fine, don't believe me. It's not like I need your consent on anything," Cho said with a dismissive wave of her hand, the action feeding the flames swirling in Hotaru's heart. Hopping onto her feet and straightening her posture confidently, Cho ignored his fury and declared calmly, "Guys, you all know why we came together… To restart our legacy and do what we love most for the _right_ reason." Towards the end of the sentence, Cho directed a stern gaze at Hotaru, who immediately scoffed afterwards and looked the other way. He knew the meaning behind that look, but his pride to let Cho revel in it.

"Yeah, yeah; calm the fuck down!" he grumbled. "I won't sneak any of the damn money. It's all going straight to that stupid orphanage house."

Nodding in satisfaction with the rude remark, Cho spoke once more. "And of course, now that our numbers are way less than before, we'll need help. Robbing local grocery stores won't do any good for us in the future… But now that we know that Yui is alive, I think we may have a chance of reviving our group." Determination infected the rebels' features as they all grunted in mutual agreement; if there was anyone who could pull off theft attempts at more highly secured places, it was indeed the Crimson Flash.

Hotaru, posing as the only person who wasn't influenced by the speech at all, crossed his arms stubbornly before objecting tiredly, "That's all fine and dandy, but how the hell are we gonna get her to work with us? It's obvious that she's got a new life as a schoolgirl now, dumbass!" Cho quirked an eyebrow at the squabbling man, momentarily speechless at the idea of someone labeling her with such a title that insulted her intelligence.

"How are you so sure? Maybe she'll accept our offer."

"And maybe she won't…" Hotaru trailed off with an unusually thoughtful hum. Cho took a warning step towards him, the expression setting off alarms in her head.

"What are you planning, Hotaru? Knowing you, it definitely can't be anything good. If that gun murder shit you pulled off was of any indication."

"Sometimes…" He started off in a low whisper with gaze glued to the floor. Then, it lifted and firmly locked with Cho's. "You have to give a person… a little motivation, ne?" Cho's deep auburn orbs narrowed as she immediately understood what Hotaru was implying. She jabbed a finger into the center of his chest. The deadliest venom imaginable tinted her tone.

"Don't do anything stupid, Hotaru. This isn't some mafia bullshit that you watch in crappy movies. You stay away from Yui and just let me take care of everything… Do I make myself clear?"

Hotaru's eyes glistened with a large hint of amusement, but remained silent. After a moment of crackling tension, he cleared his throat and whispered cockily, "Crystal."

"… Good… Now, go finish counting the money." Maintaining eye contact for just a moment longer with Hotaru, Cho then turned to face Kichiro. "Kichiro, go help Hotaru tally up the rest." In under a second, the silver and lavender-haired man's demeanor had shifted from tranquil and calm to eager and energetic. He literally bounced in place while tapping his fingers in the same fashion of a corny villain.

"Yay! I get to touch the money~!"

Hotaru grumbled in distaste as he walked back to the sac of stolen money with a zealous Kichiro trailing behind him, whispering about a 'money hungry psycho' under his breath. Cho rolled her eyes while shaking her head in exasperation.

Ayumu briefly fidgeted in her spot next to Isamu before shyly raising her hand. "So how will you get Yui to join us again, Cho?" Cho sighed as she gained a far off look in her eyes and raked a hand through her silky tresses.

"I… honestly don't know, Ayumu. If Yui's been alive this entire time and never made contact with us…" She bit the inside of her cheek. "Then she more than likely doesn't want to come back." Ayumu's face fell, hurt from the thought of Yui actually wanting to forget about her. Any of them. Cho took note of the saddened reaction, so she did her best to recover the atmosphere. "But I still have to try. She was the City Runners' secret weapon and the only reason they were able to stay up and running. We need her back." Isamu released a deep grunt of understanding as Ayumu solemnly nodded.

Meanwhile, Imao's emerald orbs misted over with an agonized reminiscence. Memories. So many memories raced through his skull, each one depicting the City Runners.

Yui's joyful face appeared in every single one of them...

-XXX-

"Okay Ritsu-Sempai, this one's easy." Azusa calmy held a notebook in her hands, a precarious balance between boredom, annoyance, and resignation to her fate crossing her face. Ritsu was seated on the other end of the kotatsu, her features set with determination.

"Bring it!" She declared intensely with a clench of her fists.

Mio, who was seated next to her childhood friend, sweat dropped. On the other hand, Tsumugi simply placed a hand over her mouth and giggled at the drummer's resolute behavior; at least she wasn't slacking off.

"What were the two opposing groups of World War II called?"Azusa asked.

A beat of silence.

"Errr… C-can I get a different question?" Beads of sweat rolled down the back of Ritsu's neck as her mind drew a blank. _Yep, this test is gonna kill me…_ she thought sheepishly. Azusa sighed in disappointment as Mio face palmed. However, the bassist flinched from slapping herself a tad too hard.

Magically pulling a dark blue band-aid out of nowhere, Tsumugi graciously offered it to her flustered band mate. Fighting down her humiliation while doing so, Mio accepted the band-aid and inconspicuously applied it to the bridge of her nose.

"What about you, Yui-Sempai?" Azusa questioned in a less than optimistic tone; she had half an intuition that Yui wouldn't know the answer either.

The fact that the lead guitarist was too busy munching on a slice of cake could also be another reason for the kouhai's incredulity. It seemed that Azusa's question didn't reach Yui's ears since the bubbly teen was still breathing in her delectable pastry.

The twin-tailed underclassman sighed once more before calling again, "Yui-Sempai!"

"E-Eh?" Yui muttered in surprise with a mouthful of cake and tiny crumbs scattered around her lips.

"Yui-Chan, you have a few crumbs around your mouth," Tsumugi commented lightly with a small smile. Swallowing her cake with an audible gulp, Yui chuckled sheepishly while rubbing the back of her head.

"Heheh~. Do you have a napkin, Mugi-Chan-"

"Here you go." Tsumugi once again conveniently whipped something out of nowhere, this object in particular being a silky white handkerchief for Yui's use.

"Thanks!" Yui gingerly dabbed away the sugary mess on her face, which was a comical shift from barbaric cake gobbling a few seconds ago. Rubbing her right temple and feeling the motivation to help them study gradually drain from her, Azusa muttered tightly, "Yui-Sempai… The question..."

Yui innocently tilted her head to the side.

"What question, Azunyan?"

Another beat of silence.

"How about we just ask another question?" Tsumugi offered timidly as she sensed the exhaustion practically pouring from Azusa.

Eyeing Yui a moment longer, she eventually gave in with a sigh of defeat before muttering, "Okay… How about when was the-"

"Snacks are ready everyone!" Ui declared in a chipper tone as she carefully approached the band mates with a large tray of food in her hands. Yui's cocoa eyes glimmered in heavenly joy as they switched back and forth between the unfinished cake below her and the succulent snacks her younger sister prepared. There was so much food for the gluttony teen to devour and yet so little time to do so. She once again wondered how she was blessed enough to have such a skilled and munificent baby sister.

Ui stood next to Tsumugi and Azusa as she shot them a pleading look. It wasn't a moment later until the pair nodded in understanding and assisted Ui with removing the array of food from the tray. Azusa had to smother a small smirk when she saw Yui clap her hands gleefully as a plate was set before her, the sunniness behind her smile skyrocketing all the while.

Ritsu haughtily rested one arm across the kotatsu table, cheeks puffed up and brow furrowed sternly. It was uncertain if she intended to radiate authority or constipation. Mio squinted questioningly at the drummer's antics, only for her exasperation to increase exponentially as the tawny-haired percussionist grunted and nodded as a plate was set before her.

Mio sweat dropped. "R-Ritsu… What are you doing?"

"These servants work well for their leader, Ice Queen. Perhaps we should be gracious and reward them lat- _ITAII!"_

Mio wacked Ritsu across the head.

"Can you not be a baka for at least five minutes?!"

"Of course not~." The drummer slapped on a dopey smile, which instantly extinguished Mio's annoyance and rage. She heaved a tired sigh.

"What am I going to do with you?" Instead of replying with another witty comment, Ritsu settled for shrugging and nibbling on her snacks.

Ui took the liberty of joining the HTT group and seated herself next to Tsumugi, a content smile on her face.

"Soooo…" Ritsu drawled awkwardly, as she definitely wasn't one who favored a calm and tranquil atmosphere. "What's going on with everyone's… lives?" Mio pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling embarrassed for both herself and Ritsu. _She just can't stay quiet, can she?_

No, she couldn't.

"Actually, there has been something I've wanted to talk about," Tsumugi quipped with a small raise of her hand. Everyone directed their attention to the wealthy blonde (Yui being an exception since she was too busy eating) and nodded encouragingly. Tsumugi inwardly squealed in joy at the fact that she was actually initiating a conversation. It was in the top ten of her bucket list. "Have any of you been watching the news lately? Because not too long ago it said that a store nearby was robbed and vandalized."

A chunk of cake halted just centimeters away from Yui's lips and she froze on the spot. Her eyes widened just the smallest amount as her breath became lodged in her throat.

"Oh yeah! I saw the store when Mio and I were walking over here!" Ritsu said, bonking her fist in her other hand. Concern washed over the bassist like a tsunami.

"W-wait, so that place was robbed too? Did the police at least catch the thieves?"Mio asked.

"Unfortunately not…" Ui muttered gravely as all signs of her previous smile vanished from existence, usurped by despondency.

"B-but then… where are they now?" Mio's voice dwindled to a hush, feeling one of her signature curl-up-into-a-ball-and-cover-ears attacks peeking over the horizon. For once, Ritsu didn't flash a cheeky smirk or catalyze her best friend's fear, especially since the bassist's arms began to visibly shake. Instead, the drummer gently placed a hand on Mio's forearm and gave it a firm, reassuring squeeze.

"Hey, come on Mio… You know nothing bad will happen to you. Not when I'm around, ne?" A rare sincerity emitted from Ritsu as she said this, her amber eyes boring into Mio's. Biting back a sniffle, Mio ran the back of her hand across her eyes before releasing a long breath. Then, taking a split second to shyly glance at Ritsu over her shoulder, Mio reluctantly pulled free of her friend's grip and plucked another snack from her plate.

Just before she popped it into her mouth, she muttered under her breath with a light blush, "Th-thank you…"

Despite the loss of contact, a satisfied smirk appeared on Ritsu's face as she nodded and also popped a cooked treat into her mouth.

Humongous sparkles glimmered in Tsumugi's eyes while clasping her hands together. She heaved a blissful sigh at the scene before her.

Mio's blush darkened a few shades as Ritsu's smile turned down right cheeky.

"I'll always be the dangerous queen's knight~!"

"Ritsu!"

 _Ah, there we go. I knew it'd happen sooner or later…_ Azusa thought while unconsciously fiddling with the notebook paper resting next to her. It was beyond obvious that the drummer and Yui, to put it bluntly, were doomed for that exam on Monday. Ritsu's attention span resided somewhere between a squirrel and a child that's been twelve buckets of candy soda. Yui wasn't any better. First of all, her focusing capabilities rivaled with the drummers; actually, it may be worse. The fact that her younger sister Ui kept wafting delicious, distracting food in front of the lead guitarist's face also didn't help. _Wait. Speaking of Yui-Sempai, she's been really quiet all of a sudden._ Azusa's realization was delayed, but the inconspicuous glance she snuck towards Yui was prompt. However, all motivation to be stealthy abandoned her as she openly stared at the guitarist.

Having already placed her fork back on the plate, the hunk of cake completely forgotten, Yui's vision was slightly downcast and veering off to the side. Her feminine features were riddled with frustrated contemplation; a combination of emotions that the rhythm guitarist never thought she could express. Her deep auburn pupils had gained a forlorn essence to them, as if Yui wasn't even in the same room, let alone the same house, as everyone else anymore.

"…Yui-Sempai? A-are you okay?" Azusa asked worriedly, which had attracted everyone else's attention from Ritsu and Mio's heated bickering.

All at once, Yui's gaze snapped up and her fist unintentionally banged against the table as she rushed out, "I'm fine, great!"

All five girls reeled back from the loud bang, wide eyes glued to Yui.

"Errrrmmmm…" Sweat dotted Ritsu's brow. "Are you sure about that?" Panic briefly flooded Yui's system before her instinctual goofy demeanor took over, praying with all her might that it would help to ease everyone's disturbance.

"Y-yeah! Really, I'm just… Just uh… Sad that this is my last slice of cake!" Yui said while awkwardly gesturing to her unfinished slice of cake. She hid her tightly clenched fists in her lap under the table.

A moment passed.

Then another.

Finally, Lady Luck smiled upon Yui as her friends erupted with giggles and sighs of relief. Some of them. Mio shook her head in affectionate exasperation while Tsumugi chuckled at the air-headed girl's antics. However, it was Ui and Azusa's reactions that left a cold, leaden ball of anxiety sitting in the pit of Yui's stomach.

They stared calculatingly at Yui, Azusa's gawking proving to be a bit more skeptical than Ui's. The varied degrees of scrutiny leaking from them didn't ease Yui's worry in the slightest.

Ritsu smiled broadly, a sense of epiphany washing over her. "I know what's bothering Yui-Chan here! You're worried about those thieves getting to you too, right? Don't you worry Private, your Captain will protect you at all times as well!"

Yui couldn't have been more grateful in that very moment, as it was the perfect trampoline she needed to bounce back from her doom. She saluted back, twin waterfalls composed of tears streaming from her eyes. "Thank you, Captain! I'll be forever in your debt!"

Ui's stare remained for a few more stubborn moments until she eventually gave in and softened her glare, figuring that perhaps her paranoia of the whole criminal incident was getting the better of her. Azusa's glowering relaxed as well, although her wariness about Yui's explosive reaction lingered. _What was she thinking about?_ she wondered. Something anonymous in the hind corners of her mind frowned in disapproval at the memory of Yui's distracted behavior, but chose to ignore it in the end.

Only for now.

"Okay Ritsu, let's get back to studying," Mio ordered calmly as she collected the scattered history notes and arranged them into a neat stack.

Ritsu paled with devastation.

"Noooooooo!"

The poor drummer had a long night ahead of her.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Aaaaaand that's all for now! Nothing terribly significant happened in this chapter plot-wise, but now we've finally met the list of names hidden within Yui's shoe box. She still has their numbers. She has a connection with them. A past as Crimson Flash. And now, a reunion is peeking over the horizon.

To help everyone out, here's a rundown of the new characters.

-Isamu: Big and buff guy, super loud and childish, best friends with Ayumu

-Ayumu: Small and bubbly brunette, a very caring and patient attitude, best friends with Isamu

-Imao: Very shy and meek teenager, a dark fauxhawk with green highlights, and gentle emerald eyes

-Kichiro: A cheeky little gambling addict and lover of all things money, milky eyes, grey dyed hair with lavender highlights

-Cho: The appointed leader of the Urban Jumpers, tall and lanky, a monotonous and sarcastic personality but always looks out for her followers

-Hotaru: Cold and hot-headed problematic member of the Urban Jumpers, prone to violence and criminal activity, but damn good at his job

Alrighty! I hope that cleared things up for you guys! Until next chapter, please drop a review for me and have a wonderful day!

-Stay gucci


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